Lawyers’ Society Hosts ECOWAS Electoral Team To Discuss Reforms Ahead Of 2028 Elections
Sia Lucy Kannah The Lawyers’ Society of Sierra Leone has engaged a delegation from the ECOWAS Network of Electoral Commissions (ECONEC) on lessons from the 2023 general elections and legal reforms needed to strengthen the credibility and transparency of the 2028 elections.
The meeting was held on Thursday, 24 September 2026, at the Society’s Secretariat in Freetown, following a request from the ECOWAS Resident Representation in Sierra Leone as part of ECONEC’s Post-election Follow-up and Needs Assessment Mission.
The ECOWAS delegation was led by ECOWAS Resident Representative in Sierra Leone, Ambassador John Azumah, and Co-Chairperson of the Liberian National Electoral Commission, Counsellor Reeves. The Lawyers’ Society delegation was led by its President, Augustine Sorie-Sengbe Marrah, Esq.
During the engagement, the ECOWAS team explained that the mission is aimed at working with key stakeholders to identify issues that arose during the 2023 elections and develop recommendations to help ensure that the 2028 elections are more credible and transparent.
The delegation recognised the Lawyers’ Society as an important stakeholder in Sierra Leone’s democratisation process and encouraged the Society to continue contributing to efforts to strengthen democratic governance.
The ECOWAS representatives also emphasised the important roles of the legal profession and the Judiciary in strengthening Sierra Leone’s governance and electoral systems.
Discussions covered the current state of the Bar and Judiciary in Sierra Leone, lessons from the 2023 general elections, implementation of the Tripartite Agreement, and legal reforms required to support more credible elections in 2028.
The Lawyers’ Society thanked the ECOWAS delegation for the engagement and reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening governance and democratisation in Sierra Leone.
The Society also highlighted challenges affecting its operations, including what it described as the continued refusal by state institutions to register the Society.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both sides agreed that the Lawyers’ Society will submit a position paper to ECONEC containing recommendations aimed at promoting free, fair, credible and transparent elections in 2028.
The engagement forms part of ECONEC’s broader post-election follow-up and needs assessment process with stakeholders in Sierra Leone ahead of the next general elections.
